Police canvass Md. area a year after mailman was killed | News

Title (Max 100 Characters)

LANDOVER, Md. (WUSA9) -- A year after a mailman was murdered in Maryland police and the United States Postal Service inspectors returned to the community to pass out flyers in hopes of getting information on a possible suspect.

Tyson Jerome Barnette, age 26 was shot and killed on the job on the night of November 23rd, 2013.

The shooting happened in 1600 block of Reed Street, police said.

Police responded to the scene around 7:20 p.m. and found Barnette suffering from gunshot wounds. Barnette was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The crime is still unsolved, and a year later, some neighbors say they remember it well.

"I've been living here in Cheverly 32-years and this is the first time that someone has been killed in our neighborhood, and it was very frightening," Robin McClain, an area resident, told WUSA 9.

McClain recalled hearing the gunshot but said she looked outside and saw nothing. That's how quickly this fatal shooting happened.

The fact that Barnette was shot at 7:30 at night sparked concerns over postal carriers delivering at night.

Federal Inspectors accompanied letter carriers on their routes in the neighborhood for some time after Barnette's death. They also went door-to-door then, handing out the same flyers that were distributed Saturday.

Tom Ouellette with the USPIS said there is an important reason for why they went out again in-person on Saturday. They want to jog the memories of neighbors in the hopes someone will remember a detail they may have forgotten.

"It's closer to the setting, atmosphere that it was originally a year ago and sometimes it refreshes their memory … and yes, it's possible that the slightest little detail can make a world of a difference," said Ouellette.

The vehicle of interest in the case is a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Investigators still need neighbors to shed some light on the vehicle.

Ouellette would not say if this was a targeted or random shooting but regardless, neighbors said it has left an uneasy feeling for some of those living there.

"It was sad, it was unfortunate and my heart goes out to the family," Ricardo Johnson, a neighbor, said.

"I would like for the police to find this person or someone who knows to step forward so that they could be found and we can kind of get our peaceful feeling back," McClain told WUSA 9.

On Sunday, Barnette's family and members of the Postal Workers Union are planning to hold a vigil at around 7 p.m. at the same location where Barnette was killed.

A reward of up to $125,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the case, authorities said. Anyone with information can call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at: (877) 876 2455.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Prince George's County Police Department's Homicide Unit at (301) 772-4925. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS(8477) or text "PGPD plus your message" to CRIMES (274637) on your cell phone or go to www.pgpolice.org and submit a tip online.